“Oh, I see. Is this a kidnapping? Cause I don’t remember saying I would go.”

He reaches over and covers her hand with his. “I goofed up tonight. I wanted to make sure your roommates behaved but then forgot you have social anxiety. That crowd had to be really hard for you.”

Embarrassed, she stared out the side window. "It wasn't that bad."

At a stop light he lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. “I’m proud of you. You were a real champ for me tonight with everything going on. Thank you.”

As the car moves forward again she turns back to look at his profile. “I’m glad you weren’t disappointed in me. I tried, I really did. I just needed a small time to myself when it got really loud and active.” She sat there another minute than couldn’t resist. “Soooooo, my reward for good behavior is to go to your house and not my own tonight?”

He laughs and turns to look at her quickly with a twinkle in his eye. “Don’t I wish. But no, I can’t think of anywhere safer or more comfortable and I’ll be able to wait on you, hand and foot. Of course, we could add the other also......we’ve technically been seeing each other a little over 4 months.”

She puts her hand to her chest, her mouth open in shock. “Oh MY! That’s so terribly long, how have you held out all this time?!?!”

He purses his lips and shakes his head, “My tiny redheaded hot mess vixen. I’m not sure I’ll survive you.... but I think it’ll be fun.”

“Oh darling, I’m anything but boring.”

As they enter his home, he removes his shoes then kneels down and removes her heels. He takes her hand , “A tour is in order so you don’t accidently wander where you shouldn’t in the middle of the night.”

“You wish but I don’t sleep walk, my brother does.”

“Just keep crushing my dreams.....”

“Aww…” she pitied and pat him on the arm. He looked down at her quizzically and she looked up, “What? I can’t reach your head, bite me.”

“If you insist,” he said with a leer that sent her screaming and running into the kitchen.

He auntered in and with a counter island between them, leans casually against it. “You’re trapped. This is the only way out.”

She laughs, “That’s what you think.”

She walks backwards until she hits the edge of the other end of the island, jumps up, swings her legs around and runs off on the other side.

She ends up in a bedroom that she’d seen pictures of and knew she’d made a wrong turn.

“Shoot!” she exclaims as she searchs for his bathroom door but he slowly walks in and leans against the door frame. Shaking his head at her he advances and backs her up against the dresser. Reaching down, he opens a drawer and takes out a t-shirt. He hands it to her, opens the door behind her to the bathroom and pushs her in.

She comes out of the bathroom; his shirt hanging mid-thigh, the same as her dress. She looks around, throws her dress on a chair in the corner and steals a hoodie that's laying there. Hearing the television she follows the noise, padding barefoot down the hall and into the living room. He has changed; has on sweatpants and a t-shirt. He doesn’t hear her come forward so she has a few moments to stand there and just look at him. Besides changing, he's also taken off his make-up and is barefoot, relaxing on the couch. She touchs her lips as images of earlier that night come to mind and she stares at him in wonder.

He must have sensed her behind him, as he turns, smiles, and pats the seat next to him.

“I thought you could use time to unwind from the stress of the day. Come here.”

She sits on the cushion next to him, her arms wrapped around her legs.

He starts laughing, “I thought you’d steal a pair of boxers, where did you get shorts?”

She shrugs, “Under my dress. I don’t do slips, they’re annoying and never stay where they should.”

He reaches over and flips the strings on the jacket, “The hoodie is a nice touch.”

“Makes me more comfortable. You said, this was so I could relax.”

“I did and I meant it. Come here,” he pulls her closer, into the crook of his arm and grabs the remote. “Old movie? New movie? Documentary? What works for you?”

“Anime?”

He chuckles, “Anime. I should have guessed. Which anime are we watching?”

“FMA. I have others I’m in the middle of so unless you’ve seen them you wouldn’t understand. You good with FMA? “

“I’m good with whatever you need.”

He found Full Metal Alchemist on KissAnime.com and shot it to his TV. Reaching down next to the couch and he pulls up a blanket, tosses it over her legs.

“Tonight. No more roommates, no more crowds; just you, me, Edward, and Al.”